U.S. Begins Formal Exit From Landmark Paris Climate Accord

President Donald Trump's White House has begun the process of formally withdrawing from the landmark Paris Climate Accord designed to curb emissions and save the planet from climate change. 

In a statement Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. has started the process. "Per the terms of the Agreement, the United States submitted formal notification of its withdrawal to the United Nations. The withdrawal will take effect one year from delivery of the notification," Pompeo said. 

Today we begin the formal process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. The U.S. is proud of our record as a world leader in reducing all emissions, fostering resilience, growing our economy, and ensuring energy for our citizens. Ours is a realistic and pragmatic model.

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) November 4, 2019

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U.S. officially out as of 2020

The announcement Monday is a procedural move. The U.S. announced its intention to exit the accord in 2017 with a complete withdrawal slated for 2020 shortly after the election in the U.S.

When Trump first announced his intention to withdraw from one of President Barack Obama's crowning achievements, it was met with widespread scorn and disdain from all corners of the world. In the U.S. businesses and state governments have stepped up, vowing to adhere to the principles laid out in the Paris Climate Accord which calls for the planet to be carbon neutral by 2050.  Despite Trump's climate-denying claims, the majority of scientists agree the planet is warming at a rapid and alarming rate. If drastic action isn't taken now the results will be devastating.

In September Amazon pledged to surpass the requirements of the Paris Climate Accord by becoming a carbon neutral company by 2040, a decade early. “We’re done being in the middle of the herd on this issue—we’ve decided to use our size and scale to make a difference,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder, and CEO at the time “If a company with as much physical infrastructure as Amazon—which delivers more than 10 billion items a year—can meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early, then any company can."

Trump has been rolling back planet-saving rules 

Ever since President Trump came into power he, along with his administration, has been making moves to roll back some of the positive climate saving rules and regulations put on the books by President Barack. For example, the Trump Administration has taken steps to loosen fuel economy standards and to replace the Clean Power Plan, Obama's act that placed caps on emissions from power plants.  Those moves are already impacting the planet and are expected to have ramifications long after Trump is out of office.